


This is Not the End

by RedFox29



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Diamonds, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Loneliness, Mild Language, Minecraft, Romance, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-10-19 18:21:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20661665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedFox29/pseuds/RedFox29
Summary: Despite its expanse and overflow of life, the Overworld can be a very lonely place. And as it turns out, other realms aren't much different.





	1. Caved In

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! So this is something a little different, most notably in the pairing haha I'm ashamed to say I only JUST started seriously playing Minecraft on PS4 a couple months back, but I am absolutely in love! The Enderman and the whole concept of "The End" is so fascinating to me and I love the mystery behind both (and yet how it's so blatant in literally just being "the end" of the game lol). Anyways, because I'm trash, my mind couldn't help but wander to the possibility of an enderman/reader pairing. Because...why not? 
> 
> The world I'm looking to build will still remain true to the "Minecraft" world, but I'm opting for more realistic physics, etc. which comes into play in this little teaser/intro. 
> 
> Enjoy! ❤️

You yawned, withdrawing your pickaxe from the cobblestone wall with a weary tug and brought it to rest on your shoulder. Just how long had you been down here exactly? The question floated through the fog in your head as you rubbed your eye. Surely you'd only been down here a couple of hours, a few at most since you set out at dawn on your seemingly endless quest to relieve the mines of their diamond deposits. Well, when you just so happened upon them anyways. So far your pouch contained a healthy supply of cobblestone, diorite and not much else. Feeling tired and defeated, you decided to call it a day. A groan escaped you as you knelt to gather your tools and useless rocks before starting the journey back to the surface once more. Observing the bag's contents, you noticed 5 torches left from the bountiful bundle of 64 you had brought. You were generally pretty thrifty when it came to distributing them, had you really ventured that far? Worry began to set in the pit of your stomach and you rose quickly, securing the bag on your back before making your way back down the winding 3x3 tunnel you had made with new found haste.

Maintaining a steady stride, you did your utmost to block out the hollow groans and occasional distant growls of the caverns surrounding you. The ambiance of the mines rarely bothered you, but today something just didn't sit well. Was it the dangerous lack of torches? The lack of sleep playing tricks on your mind? Or was it that uncooked porkchops you accidentally grabbed from the supply chest in your excitement to get down here in the first place? Whatever it was, you couldn't shake the feeling of being watched...which was absurd considering the tunnel you were in was one you had only just dug out today, lighting it thoroughly (yet sparingly) as you went. There's no way mobs could worm their way in here...right? 

Moving further down the tunnel, a section slightly darker than the rest of it's surroundings came into view and you paused. 

Odd. 

You usually took care to space your torches out evenly as you went. Cautiously approaching the area in question, you noticed a snuffed out torch lying in your path. The knot in your stomach tightened. 

*What the hell?*

You looked around before bending down to retrieve it. You turned it over in your grip as you examined it, not really sure what you were looking for. When your investigation turned up inconclusive, you placed the torch back with the others in the sack, opting for a replacement in the event that it had indeed been somehow faulty. This section was definitely an inviting spot for mobs in this conditon, so you searched for a more secure perch for the light. A small section of the otherwise smooth wall had been carved out, decidedly more secure than hanging the torch off the wall. Igniting it, you reached into the gap to secure it in place, breathing a sigh of relief as the section of the tunnel lit up once more. Just as you withdrew your hand and collected your wits to press on, a grain infused rumbling emanated from above. You froze, slowly looking upwards. The sound shifted and cracked through the stone, travelling to your left and down the shuddering wall. You swallowed hard.

"Oh shit..."

By the time you realized what was happening, the section of wall the torch occupied burst forth, releasing a seemingly endless supply of loose gravel into the tunnel. Panic struck you and you backed up in haste, the deposit flowing outwards in a steady stream. In no time at all it was already reaching dangerous depths which threatened to make you a permanent resident of the mines as it stretched in your direction. Your heel caught a stray rock as you scrambled backwards, sending you swiftly to the cobblestone under you with a hard thud, knocking the wind free of your already over exerted lungs. Laying there, dazed, you brought your palm to you forehead, attempting to quell the ringing in your ears and sudden throbbing at your temples. This was it, this is how you were to go out. The great mine in the sky was calling your name. Would the diamonds be plentiful? Would the streets be paved in gold and lined by dreamy sea lanterns? Would there be endless stores of emeralds? Just as you accepted your glittery fate, a pair of hands wound their way to secure under your arms, pulling you upwards from the cold stone and into what felt like an embrace. And in an instant, your surroundings vanished with a zip, replaced by a swirling, soundless purple static. Nope, this was it, you were definitely dead. And with that final thought, the static faded, all senses failing and turning to black.


	2. So much for Diamonds

You woke to the sound of bats overhead, their chattering and the batting of wings jolting you out of what felt akin to a coma. And all at once your senses came to life, the throb at your temples returning ten fold, and a pain making itself quite known at your tailbone where you had fallen. 

*So I'm not dead...not yet anyways.*

Peeling your eyes open, you were greeted with blackness, all at once the anxieties from the tunnel creeping back in. Where were you? And more importantly how did you get here? You tried to remember the events from earlier, whenever "earlier" was. The torch, the gravel, falling, and hands. Hands? But whose hands?? Unless you had imagined it and somehow crawled to safety in a concussed blur on your own, the possibility that you might not be entirely alone in the darkness sent your mind racing. Cautiously and carefully you raised yourself up on your elbows, desperately trying to adjust to the pitch black. 

"H-hello?" Your voice was a whisper, barely resonating within the unknown expanse around you.

No reply. You cleared your throat, raising your voice only slightly as to not attract any mobs that could be lurking in the vicinity;

"Hello? I-is anyone there?"

No reply. You huffed, slightly relieved at the lack of a response. Still, you were greatful to be alive and fully intact after your mishap, and if your mystery saviour was within earshot, you might as well express a little gratitude.

"I don't know who you are or if you're even there, but thank you. For back there." You paused, your eyes now barely able to make out the shapes of the cavern walls around you. Not a light in sight. 

"Um, if you ARE there, you wouldn't happen to have a light would you? It's kind of dark, if you haven't already noticed," you laughed nervously, "and you know how Creepers have a habit of sne--"

As if on cue, a set of dim purple lights turned towards you from across the space, accompanied by a subtle flurry of similarly hued particles surrounding the figure. The lights blinked, and it was only then that you realized your mistake and your heart sank. Averting your gaze quickly, you scrambled in the darkness to find your sword, but your palms met nothing but damp, cold rock. Had you looked directly at it? Surely not, it was out of the corner of your eye, right? Right?! The zip and pop of teleportation echoed behind you and you froze mid-crawl. Had it gone? Your hopes were instantaneously dashed when magenta particles tickled your nose. You looked up, a deer in headlights when you came face to face with a miner's worst nightmare. 

An Enderman. 

It seemed you'd only gone from the frying pan straight into boiling, searing lava. And you were locked, unable to look away from it's piercing gaze. Uncharacteristically, however, it didn't attack or flee. It simply stared back with apparent interest, it's head tilting to one side as it studied you. As it continued to do so, a glint on the cave floor caught your attention, and you chanced a quick, unmoving glance - your sword! It was mere inches from where you remained on all fours, barely withing reach of your fingertips. The creature continued to look you over, now moving it's head to the opposite side and bringing it's gaze from your face to trail along your back. This was your chance. In one quick motion, you reached for the hilt of your weapon, drawing it towards you along the rock and pushing yourself to your feet and away from the Enderman. Your balance faltered almost instantly, however, and you struggled to gain your composure as your head swam from the sudden altitude. Still, you managed to swing the blade in front of you, holding it out between you and your captor. 

"Stay back! I'm warning you!"

The Enderman, clearly surprised, had straightened itself and blinked, eyes wide. It looked down at the blade thrust between you and itself, then back to you. You were weak, your legs threating to give way at any moment and it showed. You surpressed a pained grunt when the weight of the diamond weapon suddenly became too great, your head still spinning, and your arms shook under the strain. You felt like you were going to relive that porkchop any second now. Ah crap... 

Just as your knees buckled beneath you, a gust of air rushed past you with a "zip" and steady hands caught you from behind, holding you firmly, yet gently in place. You glanced behind you at the Enderman looking back in what appeared to be confusion...or was that concern? It looked away to examine your surroundings, before spotting the corner where you had woken. Looking back to you he made a nodding gesture in the direction of your pack. What was he up to? Tired and weak, you grumbled.

"Look, you've had your fun, I'm clearly at your mercy, could you just...I don't know, get it over with already?"

His brow clearly knitted, head tilting to one side as he processed your request. Could he even understand you? His only response was squeezing your shoulders slightly and giving you a gentle nudge towards your bag. Unable to do much else, you sighed, complying. You were relieved he didn't simply teleport you as you were sure your initial journey had played some part in your current state of affairs. Your mind body and soul felt like they had been ripped apart and smashed back together again as if reassembled haphazardly on a crafting table...and god did your head hurt. 

With the strange Enderman's assistance, you managed to reach your bag, settling back onto the stone floor and leaning up against the damp wall. Despite being cautiously thankful for the extra help, your guard remained up even as he pulled away once you were settled, and you observed him as best you could through the darkness. At least he was easy to follow with that glow of his. Once you were situated, he moved towards your bag, tentatively flipping the top open and peering inside. 

"Hey! Leave that alone, that's my stuff!"

Not that you had anything of real value in it.. 

Ignoring your demands, he seemed to spot something, reached in and retrieve it. After looking the item over, he turned back to you and held the object out. You hesitated, trying to make out what it was before extending your hand and making contact. You immediately lit up,

"A torch!"

As you proceeded to clutch the blessed light source, he also produced some flint and steel from the pouch, which you claimed with far less hesitation. And with a flick of the metal, the cave around you lit up with a flickering hiss and glow. Some measure of relief washed over you in the new found warmth and you took in your surroundings: it was a fairly small, secluded space, probably 10x20 and entirely cut off save for a 2x2 entrance some feet away from you. And in the space only bats, yourself and the Enderman stirred, not a lingering Creeper in sight. That was at least a relief. The Enderman watched you as your eyes wandered the space, the corner of his mouth pulling into a slight smile for a moment before catching himself, resuming his usual neutral expression. He seemed to clear his throat with a somewhat static cough and rose from his spot next to your bag.  
That's when your attention returned to him; the light gave way to his full height towering over you, barely defining the features of his tall, dark, thin frame. The two of you seemed to take in one another for a moment in the new light, neither really sure of what to say or do. He shifted uncomfortably after a time, averting his gaze before nodding your way, clearing his throat once more and making his way back to the entrance, resuming his post. You still werenty sure whether this was him keeping you captive, or, dare you say it, protecting you? As ridiculous a notion as that was, you were at least greatful for the torch. Your stomach grumbled and your condition gave way to your obviously dwindling health, pulling you from your thoughts. Reaching forward you grabbed the strap of your bag pulling it towards you. You rummaged around until you came in contact with a loaf of bread you had at least had the sense to pack before setting out. Sighing, you pulled it out and began picking away at it, leaning back against the cool stone. As you ate, you could feel your strength slowly begin to return, the pain racking your frame lifting. As you recovered, you tilted your head to the side to observe your wordless companion keeping watch once more. This was definitely not how you planned this venture to go. 

So much for diamonds...


	3. They Always Know

It was quiet...far too quiet. You fidgeted with a loose bit of stone between your fingers, discreetly eyeing the walls of the cave for any means of escape you may have missed earlier in the darkness. You'd allowed yourself to risk lighting a second torch from your dwindling bundle, partially to keep any additional mobs from creeping their way in, but mostly to keep an eye on your strange...well, you weren't quite sure what. Companion? Saviour? Captor?? Every now and then you chanced a glance in the Enderman's direction at the mouth of the cave. He seemed to be keeping watch. For what, you did not know. There was no way in Nether that he was protecting you while you healed. He must be waiting for his companions to drag you off to their strange land for some gruesome End Dragon ritual...or something. You shuttered at the thought of travelling back there. That place gave you the creeps, even more so than the Nether. There was nothing natural about it, with it's dark, static atmosphere, unmapped islands scattered about making it all too easy to lose yourself in the space forever, and the eerie ambient static which seemed to stick with you long after you'd defeated the End's Dragon. 

The Enderman shifted to his other leg as he stood, the movement of purple light in your peripheral breaking your train of thought momentarily. Given that he faced away from you, you risked a few moments longer in your study of the strange being. A memory crept up of the moment you had defeated the Ender Dragon; you recalled catching the dazed look on the Endermen around you, some shaking their heads slightly, others looking around as if seeing their surroundings for the first time. You didn't think much of it at the time, simply wanting to return to your precious Overworld as soon as possible, but it was almost as if they'd been snapped out of some trance-like state. If defeating the Ender Dragon did somehow affect The End's residents, it would certainly explain this one's uncharacteristic behaviour.

Suddenly, in the blink if an eye, the Enderman vanished. You blinked, looking around the space for any trace of purple. Your jaw clenched.

"....hello?"

Just as you went to rise from your spot, a familiar zip echoed behind you, and spinning around to meet the sound, you found yourself nearly toppling over in shock at the sudden reappearance of the Enderman directly behind you. 

"For Notch's sake, don't DO that!" 

After taking a moment to catch your breath, you only now took in his stature; was he...was he really standing there with his arms crossed? The Enderman seemed to cock an eyebrow down at you, looking most unimpressed. Had he somehow caught you staring? You bit the inside of your lip, not really sure how to react to this oddly human gesture.

"Uh... I'm sorry?" 

He just stood there, continuing to gaze down at you with that almost scolding look. The fact that he could have such a readable reaction freaked you out, and yet comforted you at the same time. Despite clearly being unenthused, it made him seem like less of a "monster" to you. 

Getting no worded reply, you went on with your apology to fill the silence; 

"I didn't mean to stare. I get that you have a thing about that, but just with my head after the cave in, and the teleportation, and the cave, and you, and just..." you inhaled sharply "...this whole thing is kind of weird, isn't it??" 

The Enderman tilted his head to the other side slightly, clearly heeding your words. 

"I mean, I'm looking at you right now! Why am I not dead? Or at least seriously maimed, or...something." You gestured dramatically to yourself as you spoke, the strangeness of your situation sparking an animated giddiness in the way you tried to explain yourself, still processing everything as you did so. 

The Enderman seemed to chuckle at that, the tightness of his crossed arms loosening a little as he watched the spectacle before him. You stopped, realizing your unintended bravado and cleared your throat in slight embarassment, straightening yourself. Arms still crossed, his gaze remained fixed on you, clearly studying you as he'd done before. It was all too obvious though, and you shifted in place at the discomfort of it, averting your eyes.

"Yeah yeah, I get it... I'd rip someone's head off too I guess."

Satisfied, his stature relaxed and he nodded in what you could only define as approval of your understanding. Or was it gratitude? Despite this Enderman's many human qualities, it was still difficult to discern his true intentions at times. Arms dropping to his sides, he looked up, winding his way around you to make for the cave entrance once more. You turned, impatience bubbling within you.

"Wait!"

He stopped in his tracks, turning to face you.

"When can I leave?" 

He cocked his head to the side, his expression turning to one of...hurt? Not wanting to insult him, you scrambled over your words.

"Not that I don't appreciate you saving me of course, I really do! But I can't stay down here forever, I have to get back to my base eventually. You know, up there." You pointed upwards, immediately feeling silly for the childish action as he clearly possessed the intelligence to know that you weren't a cave dweller. 

Considering your words carefully, he sighed, walking back in your direction. You froze as the towering figure approached you. For some reason he seemed far more intimidating advancing on you head on rather than suddenly popping up out of nowhere behind you. Man he was tall...

He stopped just before you and you looked upwards. In actuality, he wasn't THAT much taller than you, but he did have a few impressive inches that you lacked. In height. You internally shook yourself at the stray though. The fuck was that? 

In your distracted state, your didn't even notice him holding his hand out to you until he cleared static from his throat, making an obvious gesture for you to look down. Snapping out of your thoughts, you obliged, and were surprised to find what appeared to be a clock resting in the palm of his hand. It took you a moment to fully process what was going on: midnight. The clock was dead on midnight. So that's why he was keeping watch! It was quite literally the witching hour, and you were still on the mend. A strange feeling of warmth and relief spread throughout your chest and you looked up at your companion, a slight smile tugging on the corner of your lips. 

"Ok, you win. I'll stick around a little longer."

He smiled back, closing his eyes with a nod. Pulling himself away from you, he turned and walked back to the entrance, now settling on a rocky perch to return to his watch into the corridor beyond. 

Ok, so maybe he wasn't waiting for his buddies to come snatch you up. Maybe. Mostly reassured and feeling somehow lighter, you returned to the spot near your belongings. Of course you didn't bring along a sleeping bag of any kind, but you managed to settle on the stone floor, bag beneath your head as a makeshift pillow. Morning wouldn't be long off if you caught a few (much needed) Z's. But closing your eyes, your mind only continued to wander to your new found ally. You chanced one last peek at the figure seated on the other end of the cave, smiling and shaking your head at the strangeness of it all before closing both eyes and quickly easing into a deep sleep.

Not much got past him though. He grinned, turning his watch from the cavern to where you lay, now fast asleep. You were clever, but no more so than he. An Enderman always knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't look at the Endermen. Just don't. They always know.


End file.
